Part 3

Yesterday this universe neither existed nor appeared to exist, while to-day it appears to exist but has no real existence: it is a mere semblance, and to-morrow nothing thereof will be seen. What does it profit thee to allow thyself to be guided by vain passions and desires? Why dost thou place reliance on these transitory objects that glitter with false lustre? Turn thy heart away from all of them, and firmly attach it to God. Break loose from all these, and cleave closely to Him. It is only He who always has been and always will continue to be. The countenance of His eternity is never scarred by the thorn of contingency.

FINITE AND INFINITE BEAUTY

The Loved One's rose-parterre I went to see, That beauty's Torch espied me, and, quoth He, "I am the tree; these flowers My offshoots are. Let not these offshoots hide from thee the tree."

What profit rosy cheeks, forms full of grace, And ringlets clustering round a lovely face? When Beauty Absolute beams all around, Why linger finite beauties to embrace?

HOW TO OBTAIN UNION WITH THE DIVINE

In like manner, as it behoves thee to maintain the said relation continuously, so it is of the first importance to develop one quality thereof by detaching thyself from mundane relations and by emancipating thyself from attention to contingent forms; and this is possible only through hard striving and earnest endeavour to expel vain thoughts and imaginations from thy mind. The more these thoughts are cast out and these suggestions checked, the stronger and closer this relation becomes. It is, then, necessary to use every endeavour to force these thoughts to encamp outside the enclosure of thy breast, and that the "Truth" most glorious may cast His beams into thy heart, and deliver thee from thyself, and save thee from the trouble of entertaining His rivals in thy heart. Then there will abide with-thee neither consciousness of thyself, nor even consciousness of such absence of consciousness--nay, there will abide nothing save the One God alone.

TRUTH

In the fair idols, goal of ardent youth, And in all cynosures lies hid the "Truth"; What, seen as relative, appears the world, Viewed in its essence is the very "Truth."

When in His partial modes Truth shone out plain, Straightway appeared this world of loss and gain; Were it and all who dwell there gathered back Into the Whole, the "Truth" would still remain.

"THE GLORIOUS GOD"

The glorious God, whose bounty, mercy, grace, And loving-kindness all the world embrace, At every moment brings a world to naught, And fashions such another in its place.

All gifts soever unto God are due, Yet special gifts from special "Names" ensue; At every breath one "Name" annihilates, And one creates all outward things anew.[3]

THE GOD BEHIND THE VEIL

"O fairest rose, with rosebud mouth," I sighed, "Why, like coquettes, thy face for ever hide?" He smiled, "Unlike the beauties of the earth, Even when veiled I still may be described."

Thy face uncovered would be all too bright, Without a veil none could endure the sight; What eye is strong enough to gaze upon The dazzling splendour of the fount of light?

When the sun's banner blazes in the sky, Its light gives pain by its intensity, But when 'tis tempered by a veil of cloud That light is soft and pleasant to the eye.

THE DIVINE SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Absolute self-sufficiency is a quality involved in Divine Perfection. It signifies this, that in a general and universal manner all the modes, states, and aspects of the One Real Being, with all their adherent properties and qualities, in all their presentations, past, present, or future, manifested in all grades of substances, divine and mundane, are present and realised in the secret thought of that Divine Being, in such wise that the sum of them all is contained in His Unity. From this point of view He is independent of all other existences; as it is said, "God most glorious can do without the world."

OUR NEED OF THE BELOVED

O Thou whose sacred precincts none may see, Unseen Thou makest all things seen to be; Thou and we are not separate, yet still Thou hast no need of us, but we of Thee.

None by endeavour can behold Thy face, Or access gain without prevenient grace; For every man some substitute is found, Thou hast no peer, and none can take Thy place.

Of accident or substance Thou hast nought, Without constraint of cause Thy grace is wrought; Thou canst replace what's lost, but if Thou'rt lost, In vain a substitute for Thee is sought.

In me Thy beauty love and longing wrought; Did I not seek Thee, how wouldst Thou be sought? My love is as a mirror in the which Thy beauty into evidence is brought.

O Lord, none but Thyself can fathom Thee, Yet every mosque and church doth harbour Thee; I know the seekers and what 'tis they seek-- Seekers and sought are all comprised in Thee.

THE UNIVERSE A NUMBER OF "ACCIDENTS"

The universe, together with its parts, is nothing but a number of accidents, ever changing and being renewed at every breath, and linked together in a single substance, and at each instant disappearing and being replaced by a similar set. In consequence of this rapid succession, the spectator is deceived into the belief that the universe is a permanent existence.

THE HIDDEN TRUTH

The ocean does not shrink or vaster grow, Though the waves ever ebb and ever flow; The being of the world's a wave: it lasts One moment, and the next it has to go.

In the world, men of insight may discern A stream whose currents swirl and surge and churn, And from the force that works within the stream The hidden working of the "Truth" may learn.

"THE GREAT IDEALIST"

Philosophers devoid of reason find This world a mere idea of the mind; 'Tis an idea--but they fail to see The great Idealist who looms behind.

THE SEA OF BEING

Being's a sea in constant billows rolled, 'Tis but these billows that we men behold; Sped from within, they rest upon the sea, And like a veil its actual form enfold.

Being's the essence of the Lord of all, All things exist in Him and He in all; This is the meaning of the Gnostic phrase, "All things are comprehended in the All."

THE REVELATION OF TRUTH

The Majesty of the "Truth" most glorious is revealed in two manners--the first the inward, subjective revelation, which the Súfís name "Most Holy Emanation"; it consists in the self-manifestation of the "Truth" to His own consciousness from all eternity under the forms of substances, their characteristics and capacities. The second revelation is the outward objective manifestation, which is called "Holy Emanation"; it consists in the manifestation of the "Truth," with the impress of the properties and marks of the same substances. This second revelation ranks after the first; it is the theatre wherein are manifested to sight the perfections which in the first revelation were contained potentially in the characteristics and capacities of the substances.

"'TIS HE WHO LIVES WITHIN OUR FORMS"

Both power and being are denied to us, The lack of both is what's ordained for us; But since 'tis He who lives within our forms, Both power and action are ascribed to us.

Your "self" is non-existent, knowing one! Deem not your actions by yourself are done; Make no wry faces at this wholesome truth-- "Build the wall ere the fresco is begun."

Why vaunt thy "self" before those jealous eyes? Why seek to deal in this false merchandise? Why feign to be existent of thyself? Down with these vain conceits and foolish lies!

MIRROR AND FACE

They say, "How strange! This peerless beauty's face Within the mirror's heart now holds a place!" The marvel's not the face, the marvel is That it should be at once mirror and face.

All mirrors in the universe I ween Display Thy image with its radiant sheen-- Nay, in them all, so vast Thy effluent grace, 'Tis Thyself, not Thine image, that is seen.

[Footnote 1: Magians and Zoroastrians.]

[Footnote 2: The first verse belongs to "Flash I.," the second to "Flash II.," but I have thought it wise to couple them together on account of the unity of their meaning.]

[Footnote 3: That is to say that a portion of the material world, through the mercy of God, is capable of receiving Very Being, and thus the phenomenon becomes Very Being externalised. But Omnipotence requires the total destruction of all phenomena and all multiplicity of the same substance. The process is repeated _ad infinitum_.

"The Names" are mentioned in the _Masnavi_. See also Professor R. A. Nicholson's _Divaní Shamsi Tabríz_, p. 71.]

SELECTIONS FROM "YÚSUF AND ZULAIKHA"

Lips sweet as sugar on my pen bestow, And from my book let streams of odour flow. YÚSUF AND ZULAIKHA.

THE COMING OF THE BELOVED

In solitude, where Being signless dwelt, And all the universe still dormant lay Concealed in selflessness, One Being was Exempt from "I" or "Thou"-ness, and apart From all duality; Beauty Supreme, Unmanifest, except unto Itself By Its own lights yet fraught with power to charm The souls of all; concealed in the Unseen, An Essence pure, unstained by aught of ill. No mirror to reflect Its loveliness, Nor comb to touch Its locks; the morning breeze Ne'er stirred Its tresses; no collyrium Lent lustre to Its eyes; no rosy cheeks O'ershadowed by dark curls like hyacinth Nor peach-like down were there; no dusky mole Adorned Its face; no eye had yet beheld Its image. To Itself it sang of Love In wordless measures. By Itself it cast The die of Love. But Beauty cannot brook Concealment and the veil, nor patient rest Unseen and unadmired; 'twill burst all bonds, And from Its prison-casement to the world Reveal Itself. See where the tulip grows In upland meadows, how in balmy spring It decks itself; and how amidst its thorns The wild rose rends its garment, and reveals Its loveliness. Thou too, when some rare thought, Or beauteous image, or deep mystery Flashes across thy soul, canst not endure To let it pass, but holdst it, that perchance In speech or writing thou mayst send it forth To charm the world. Whatever beauty dwells, Such is its nature, and its heritage From Everlasting Beauty, which emerged From realms of purity to shine upon The worlds, and all the souls which dwell therein. One gleam fell from It on the universe And on the angels, and this single ray Dazzled the angels, till their senses whirled Like the revolving sky. In diverse forms Each mirror showed it forth, and everywhere Its praise was chanted in new harmonies. The cherubim, enraptured, sought for songs Of praise. The spirits who explore the depths Of boundless seas, wherein the heavens swim Like some small boat, cried with one mighty voice, "Praise to the Lord of all the universe!"

"BEHOLD THOSE SPHERES"

Behold those spheres for ever circling, bound With-scarves of azure, in their mystic round. See, their light mantles loosely floating throw A flood of radiance on the world below. See them pursuing through the night and day, True to their purpose, their triumphant way. Each, like a player's ball obedient, still Is moved and guided by superior will. One eastward from the west its journey bends, The other's ship to western waves descends. Each in due progress with alternate sway Lights the still night or cheers the busy day. One writes fair lines that promise golden joys: One with sad aspect bonds of bliss destroys. All, joying in their might, their task renew, And with untiring haste their course pursue. Onward for ever to the goal they press With feet and loins that know not weariness. Who learns the secret of their dark intent? Who knows on whom each wanderer's face is bent?

LOVE

No heart is that which love ne'er wounded: they Who know not lovers' pangs are soulless clay. Turn from the world, O turn thy wandering feet; Come to the world of Love and find it sweet.

THE WAYS OF LOVE

Once to his master a disciple cried:-- "To wisdom's pleasant path be thou my guide." "Hast thou ne'er loved?" the master answered; "learn The ways of love and then to me return." Drink deep of earthly love, that so thy lip May learn the wine of holier love to sip. But let not form too long thy soul entrance: Pass o'er the bridge; with rapid feet advance. If thou wilt rest, thine ordered journey sped, Forbear to linger at the bridge's head.

"IF THE SUN'S SPLENDOUR NEVER DIED AWAY"

In this orchestra full of vain deceit The drum of Being, each in turn, we beat. Each morning brings new truth to light and fame, And on the world falls lustre from a name. If in one constant course the ages rolled, Full many a secret would remain untold. If the sun's splendour never died away, Ne'er would the market of the stars be gay. If in our gardens endless frost were king, No rose would blossom at the kiss of Spring.

THE BEAUTY OF ZULAIKHA

Her face was the garden of Iram, where Roses of every hue are fair. The dusky moles that enhanced the red Were like Moorish boys playing in each rose-bed. Of silver that paid no tithe, her chin Had a well with the Water of Life therein. If a sage in his thirst came near to drink, He would feel the spray ere he reached the brink, But lost were his soul if he nearer drew, For it was a well and a whirlpool too. Her neck was of ivory. Thither drawn, Came with her tribute to beauty the fawn; And the rose hung her head at the gleam of the skin Of shoulders fairer than jasmine. Her breasts were orbs of a light most pure, Twin bubbles new-risen from fount Kafur,[1] Two young pomegranates grown on one spray, Where bold hope never a ringer might lay. The touchstone itself was proved false when it tried Her arms' fine silver thrice purified; But the pearl-pure amulets fastened there Were the hearts of the holy absorbed in prayer.

SELF DIES IN LOVE

"I shall roll up the carpet of life when I see Thy dear face again, and shall cease to be, For self will be lost in that rapture, and all The threads of my thought from my hand will fall; Not me wilt thou find, for this self will have fled: Thou wilt be my soul in mine own soul's stead. All thought of self will be swept from my mind, And thee, only thee, in my place shall I find; More precious than heaven, than earth more dear, Myself were forgotten if thou wert near."

"MINE EYES HAVE BEEN TOUCHED"

"Mine eyes have been touched by the Truth's pure ray, And the dream of folly has passed away. Mine eyes thou hast opened--God bless thee for it!-- And my heart to the Soul of the soul thou hast knit.

From a fond strange love thou hast turned my feet The Lord of all creatures to know and meet; If I bore a tongue in each single hair, Each and all should thy praise declare."

ZULAIKHA PLEADS WITH YÚSUF FOR HIS LOVE

"By the excellent bloom of that cheek which He gave, By that beauty which makes the whole world thy slave; By the splendour that beams from that beautiful brow, That bids the full moon to thy majesty bow; By the graceful gait of that cypress, by The delicate bow that is bent o'er thine eye; By that arch of the temple devoted to prayer, By each fine-woven mesh of the coils of thy hair; By that charming narcissus, that form arrayed In the sheen and glory of silk brocade; By that secret thou callest a mouth, by the hair Thou callest the waist of that body most fair By the musky spots on thy cheek's pure rose, By the smile of thy lips when those buds unclose, By my longing tears, by the sigh and groan That rend my heart as I pine alone; By thine absence, a mountain too heavy to bear, By my thousand fetters of grief and care; By the sovereign sway of my passion, by My carelessness whether I live or die; Pity me, pity my lovelorn grief: Loosen my fetters and grant relief: An age has scorched me since over my soul The soft sweet air of thy garden stole. Be the balm of my wounds for a little; shed Sweet scent on the heart where the flowers are dead I hunger for thee till my whole frame is weak: O give me the food for my soul which I seek."

THE HORSE OF YÚSUF

In his stalls had Yúsuf a fairy steed, A courser through space of no earthly breed; Swift as the heavens, and black and white With a thousand patches of day and night; Now a jetty spot, now a starry blaze, Like Time with succession of nights and days. With his tail the heavenly Virgo's hair, With his hoof the moon, was afraid to compare. Each foot with a golden new moon was shod, And the stars of its nails struck the earth as he trod. When his hoof smote sharp on the rugged flint A planet flashed forth from the new moon's dint; And a new moon rose in the sky when a shoe From the galloping foot of the courser flew. Like an arrow shot through its side in the chase. He outstripped the game in the deadly race. At a single bound he would spring, unpressed, With the lightning's speed from the east to the west.

THE FREEING OF ZULAIKHA'S SOUL

"O thou who hast broken mine honour's urn, Thou stone of offence wheresoever I turn, I should smite--for thy falsehood has ruined my rest-- With the stone thou art made of, the heart in my breast. The way of misfortune too surely I trod When I bowed down before thee and made thee my god; When I looked up to thee with wet eyes in my woe, I renounced all the bliss which both worlds can bestow. From thy stony dominion my soul will I free, And thus shatter the gem of thy power and thee."

BREAKING THE IDOL

With a hard flint stone, like the Friend,[2] as she spoke, In a thousand pieces the image she broke. Riven and shattered the idol fell, And with her from that moment shall all be well. She made her ablution, 'mid penitent sighs, With the blood of her heart and the tears of her eyes. She bent down her head to the dust; with a moan She made supplication to God's pure throne:-- "O God, who lovest the humble, Thou To whom idols, their makers, their servants bow; 'Tis to the light which Thy splendour lends To the idol's face that its worshipper bends. Thy love the heart of the sculptor stirs, And the idol is graven for worshippers. They bow them down to the image, and think That they worship Thee as before it they sink. To myself, O Lord, I have done this wrong, If mine eyes to an idol have turned so long. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Thou hast washed the dark stain of my sin away; Now restore the lost blessing for which I pray. May I feel my heart free from the brand of its woes, And cull from the garden of Yúsuf a rose."

YÚSUF AND ZULAIKHA MEET AGAIN

"Where is thy youth, and thy beauty, and pride?" "Gone, since I parted from thee!" she replied. "Where is the light of thine eye?" said he, "Drowned in blood-tears for the loss of thee." "Why is that cypress tree bowed and bent?" "By absence from thee and my long lament." "Where is thy pearl, and thy silver and gold, And the diadem bright on thy head of old?" "She who spoke of my loved one," she answered, "shed, In the praise of thy beauty, rare pearls on my head. In return for those jewels, a recompense meet, I scattered my jewels and gold at her feet. A crown of pure gold on her forehead I set, And the dust that she trod was my coronet. The stream of my treasure of gold ran dry; My heart is Love's storehouse, and I am I."

ZULAIKHA'S YOUTH RETURNS

The beauty returned which was ruined and dead, And her cheek gained the splendour which long I had fled. Again shone the waters which sad years had dried, And the rose-bed of youth bloomed again in its pride. The musk was restored and the camphor withdrawn, And the black night followed the grey of the dawn, The cypress rose stately and tall as of old: The pure silver was free from all wrinkle and fold. From each musky tress fled the traces of white: To the black narcissus came beauty and light.

ZULAIKHA'S WISH

"The one sole wish of my heart," she replied, "Is still to be near thee, to sit by thy side; To have thee by day in my happy sight, And to lay my cheek on thy foot at night; To lie in the shade of the cypress and sip The sugar that lies on thy ruby lip; To my wounded heart this soft balm to lay; For naught beyond this can I wish or pray. The streams of thy love will new life bestow On the dry thirsty field where its sweet waters flow."

UNITED

Thus spoke the Angel: "To thee, O King, From the Lord Almighty a message I bring: 'Mine eyes have seen her in humble mood; I heard her prayer when to thee she sued. At the sight of her labours, her prayers, and sighs, The waves of the sea of my pity rise. Her soul from the sword of despair I free, And here from My throne I betroth her to thee.'"

[Footnote 1: A well in Paradise.]

[Footnote 2: Abraham.]

SELECTIONS FROM THE "BAHÁRISTÁN"

("ABODE OF SPRING")

Take a walk in this Baháristán [Abode of Spring] That you may see therein Gulistán [rose-groves] With gracefulness in each Gulistán, Flowers growing and aromatic plants blooming. BAHÁRISTÁN.

TO THE READER OF THE "BAHÁRISTÁN"

Let every fortunate man who of these blooming trees The shade enjoys, or the fruit consumes, Act according to the laws of righteousness, Walk on the road of generosity and pray thus: May _Jámí_, who planted this garden, O Lord, Be always full of God and empty of self.[1] May he travel on no other path but His, and seek no other _Union_[2] but His; Nor utter another name but His, nor see another face but His.

SONG IN PRAISE OF THE BELOVED

To the Maker!--the rose-grove of the sphere Is but one leaf of the flower-garden of. His creation-- That those who sing His praises May have a plate of pearls and jewels full of oblations! May the magnitude of His glory shine, and the world of His perfection be exalted!

A thousand chants of salutation and greeting from the philomels of the garden-mansion of _Union_ and benevolence, who are the musicians of the assembly of witnesses and songsters in the delightful house of _Ecstasy_[3] and benevolence.

FIRST GARDEN

"FOR THEE"

For Thee we have hastened across land and sea, Have passed over plains, and mountains climbed, Have turned away from whatever we met Until we found the way to the sanctuary of Union with Thee.

PRIDE